Conveyer



Dec. 2, 1952 M. N. RAlNu-:R 2,619,916

CONVEYER Filed March lO, 1947 l 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. l. FIG. 4.

INVENTOR MAURICE N. RAINIER Dec. 2, 1952 M N RAlNlER 2,619,916

BY 71mm VMM ATTORNEYS Dec 2 1952 M. N. RAlNlER 2,619,916

coNvEYER Filed MaICh 10, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG I3 f mvENToR MAURICEN. RAlNlER www ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 2, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a conveyor, and more particularly to aconveyor of a Vtype used on production lines, and to support work piecesfor the performance of work operations thereon.

In manufacturing and other installations where articles are assembled orprocessed while traveling on conveyors, as in the so-called productionline method of manufacturing, it is desirable that the drive mechanismfor the conveyor run continuously at a speed which ordinarily isdetermined by the slowest operation to be performed. Where the articlesor work pieces being processed on the conveyor are delayed at any of thework stations along the'production line. it is customary either to: (a)remove the items on which the work is delayed from the conveyor, and tofinish them by hand; (b) permit the articles to go on through theproduction line and perform as many of the remaining operations thereonas is possible, and then finish them by hand; or (c) `stop the conveyorand wait until the cause of the interruption has been removed and thusdelay production all along the line. Any of these three procedures iscostly, and when repeated frequently enough, affect substantially thecost of the finished product. The causes of such interruptions andstoppages are numerous and include the momentary lack of a part or toolto perform a necessary operation, the necessity for performing anoperation over in case of sticking or breaking of a part or tool,absenteeism which requires a slowing down of an operation, and thenecessity of an employee to leave his station temporarily for personalreasons.

An object of the present invention is to make an improved and simpliedconveyor for use in manufacturing and processing operations.

Another object is to make an improved station stop for a conveyor.

Another object is to make a conveyor having a work support connected toa driving element so as to be readily engageable by and disengageablefrom the driving element.

Another object is to make a conveyor with maximum exibility of handlingof work supports thereon.

Another object is to carry a traveling work support on a conveyor withmeans for releasably `engaging the work support and a power drivenconveying element at a desired point on the conveyor, the engaging meansbeing flexible in operation for predetermined releasing arrangementalong the route of the conveyor.

Another object is to make a conveyor having 2 a traveling work supportmounted adjacent a power driven conveying element, with means forreleasably engaging the work support and the Y conveying element, andrelease means operable to release engagement of the work support withthe conveying element upon the overtaking by a succeeding work supportof a preceding one on the conveyor.

Another object is to make a conveyor wherein a work support carried bythe conveyor can be advanced manually relatively to a conveyor driveelement to a desired point on the conveyor.`

Another object is to make a conveyor wherein a plurality of spaced worksupports having driven connection with a conveyor drive element can becompacted into laterally juxtaposed condition and advanced at adifferent rate from the speed of the conveyor drive mechanism.

Another object is to make a conveyor having means for driving worksupports at normal spaced intervals at a predetermined speed throughouta portion of its length, with means to lturn the work supports and meansfor moving theminto compacted, closely juxtaposed, positions relativelyto each other, the conveyor having means again to attain normal drivingrelationship with the work supports, at the same time moving them totheir original normal intervals.

These and other objects of the invention will be more fully set forth inthe following description and the accompanying drawings, of which thereare three sheets. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a transverse sectional View of a roller and pallet typeconveyor with a central power driven conveying chain;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, aside portion of a conveyor frame being broken away to show the internalconstruction, and a work supporting pallet being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5 5of Fig. 3; l

Fig. 6 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 1, showing a mounting of astation stop;

of a work supporting roller which is castored to permit rotating a workpiece supported thereon;

Fig. l is a vertical transverse sectional View through an overhead typeconveyor and work support embodying a modification of the presentinvention;

Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of the structure of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is -asectional view taken on the .line l2-I2 of Fig. `10;

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic plan View of a pallet carrying conveyor of thegeneral type illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, showing variousfeatures of operation of the invention;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through a latch membertaken onthe `line Ill-I4 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 15 is a similarly enlarged sectional .view

taken on the line I-l5 of Fig. 4 and showing a star wheel cam used forturning the pallet;

Fig.,16 is a fragmentary sectional View, on the same 'scale as Fig. 15,taken through the lower portion of a modified form of latch member justbelow a star shaped cam mounted thereon; and

Fig. 1'7 is a sectional view taken on line Il-ll of Fig. 16.

Referring to the drawings in detail, aconveyor illustrated in Figs. 1, 2and 3 has side plates 25 and 2|, and transverse frame members 22 andlegs 23. A plurality of work support wheels or rollers 24 are pivotallymounted at relatively close intervals along the upper edges of both ofthe side plates 20 and 2l. The rollers are mounted to project slightlyabove the upper edges of the side plates. The rlegs V23 may be ofsuitable structural steel, as may the transverse frame members 22 whichare mounted preferably one ,at each vleg station.

The driving vrun 25 of a conveyor drive chain or propelling .element ismounted to extend throughout the vlength of the conveyor, and has theusualdriving mechanism, not shown. Preferably, for purposes of support.and protection, the chain is mounted with its driving run enclosed inabox-like enclosure 21, with a slotted opening 28 throughout the :entirelength of its upper side. This slotted opening 23 .provides access fordriving engagement between thedrivechain and work supports carried bythe conveyor.

The drive chain, as illustrated, has elongated main links29, .and va..pair` of link side plates 30 and 3l, (see Figs. land 2). Two rollers 32and 33 are pivoted on the laterally projecting ends of a short shaft 34which is mounted in holes in the two `side Vplates of the link. A worksupport drivepawl-35 is mounted on the shaft 34 between the side platesof the link and has an upwardly extending latch engaging nose portion 31and a downwardly extending portion 38.

The downwardly extending portion33 has a hole therein in which ananchoring pin 39 is insorted. This pin may be of relatively softmaterial, such as brass, .to actas a shear pin in case of extremestress. The shear pin also extends into holes drilled in the side platesof the link. The shear pin 39 normally holds the pawl 35 in verticalposition, las illustrated in Fig. 2. However, in case of mal-function orjamming ofapallet, the pin would shear off and permit the pawl to rotateto release its driving engagement with the work support, therebypreventing damage Yto other parts of the equipment.

Intermediate links 40 connect alternate pawl supporting links 29. Eachintermediate link has a roller 4I pivoted on a short shaft 42 to rotatein a plane normal to that of the rollers 32. The rollers 4| have rollingengagement with the sides of the chain enclosure 2l.

A plurality of work supports, here illustrated as pallets 43, are shownas of hollow rectangular construction. Each pallet has a top plate 44, abottom plate 45, and side and end walls 4l. The pallets are adapted toroll on the rollers 24 on the sides of therconveyor frame.

-To permit rotating thepallet at desired points along the conveyor, aplurality of castored rollers .88 may be substituted for the xed axisrollers 24 Yatdesired intervals along the conveyor, preferably at one ofthe regular stop stations. These castored rollers are mounted in notches89 in the conveyor frame side members 23 and 2l so as to be free topivot about a vertical pivot (see Fig. 9). This permits a palletsupported on these castored rollers to be rotated where it is desired toperform .operationson a work piecesupported on the pallet which mayrequire such manipulation. An example of such an operation would bepainting of the workpiece.

A tubular latch guide member 48 is secured centrally to the undersurface of the top plate 44 and projects downwardly through Ya centralopening in the bottomnplate 45.

A sliding latch member 49 is mounted telescopically in the tube fit, thelatch member 49 having a cylindrical upper portion 5B which is mountedtelescopically within the tubular latch support 4S. A coil lspring 5i`isinserted between the top plate 44 and the upper end Vof thelatchmember e3, normally tourge the latch member downwardly. The lower end ofthe latch member preferably yis rounded so as to facilitate its cammingover -a ,chain drive pawl 35 when Ithe pallet on Awhich the latch memberis mounted is shoved ahead on the conveyor at a yspeed greater than thatof the drivechain.

A latch operating pin 52 is mounted in a hole drilled transverselythrough an intermediate portion of the latch'member, the pinridingEvertically in slots 53 in the wall of the tubular latch guide member48. The ends of the latch operating V,pin project laterally beyond thetubular latch support andare received in slotted grooves 54 on :theinner faces of the bifurcated ends 55 of a latchv release lever 5l.

The latch release lever 5l issecured to a transversely extendinghubportion 58, which is pivoted on a rod 53. rThe rod 59 is mountedtransversely of the pallet, see Figs. 2 and v3. A pair of forwardlyextending lever operating arms 63 andSI are secured to the hub 5,8 to.project through vertically slotted openings G2 in what is normally theforward ,end wall of the pallet. .The slotted openings 62 are ofsulllcientlength to permit full operative movement of the latch memberupon depressing the arms 65 and 6 I.

The forward end of each `of the arms 68 and 3| is curved downwardly toform a cam, and the rear end of each pallet is adapted tobe engaged bythese down curved ends of-the arms ofqa, pallet when moved intoengagement therewith. This action exerts a downward camming action onthe arms Sli and 5i of the rearpallet to raise its associated latchmember toits upper `limit of movement, thereby to release it from-drivenengagement by a chain pawl ,3.5. With this arrangement, providing .thepallets are arranged on the conveyor with their arms Sii and .6lprojecting from the forward ends of the pallets,

-when a pallet is stopped pat any pOIlt on the conveyor, each succeedingrearward pallet will on the chain.

be released from driving engagement with the chain as its arms 60 and BIare cammed downwardly by engagement with the next preceding pallet.

When a plurality of pallets thus are stopped, and the latch on theleading pallet in the group is dropped into chain engaging position,each -leading pallet of the remaining group will be picked up, one byone, by successive pawls If desired, and there are Vacancies in thepawls -ahead of any pallet, the pallet may be shoved ahead on theconveyor as far as desired, the latch, as previously explained, cammingover each pawl as it passes.

A four pointed star wheel cam 53 is secured to the lower end of eachtubular latch guide 4B so that the star wheel is positioned beneath thepallet bottom plate 45. This star wheel cam provides means for turningthe pallet back and forth through an angle of 90 at desired points alongthe conveyor.

The lower end of the latch pin is rectangular in cross section, as at6l, and is of a size to have a fairly close sliding t between the sidesof the slotted top opening 28 in the chain enclosure 2l. The verticalmovement of the latch member is limited so as to avoid withdrawing thisrectangular lower end portion 61 from the slot 28, and thus preventsrotation of the pallet except at required stations throughout the lengthof the conveyor. At such points the slot 23 is widened to permit suchrotation, as at 68 (Fig. 13).

In order to conserve space on the conveyor, for example, in a hot roomor other processing area along the route of the conveyor, I provide anarrangement for turning the pallets to an angle of 90 from their normalposition on the conveyor, moving them into closely juxtaposed relationto each other, and slowing down their rate of travel. Since normally thepallets are arranged with their longer axes parallel to the direction ofmovement of the conveyor, and are spaced apart, each pallet occupies arelatively large space on the conveyor and, of course, advances at thespeed of the conveyor drive chain. This arrangement facilitates theperforming of the work operations on the work pieces supported on thework supports or pallets with a minimum of reaching by the operators.

At a point slightly in advance of the area where the compacting andslowing down of the pallets is to be accomplished, a fixed actuating pin12 (see Figs. 13 and 15) is mounted in position to engage a projectingpoint of the star wheel cam B3. As the pallet is moved forward by theconveyor chain, this stationary pin 'l2 rotates the star wheel cam, andthe pallet with it, through an angle slightly greater than 90. Turningof the pallet and its associated parts would be prevented by theengagement of the squared lower end of the latch member de, except forthe fact that the slot 28 is widened opposite the pin 12 to permit suchturning. As the squared lower end of the latch member re-enters thenormal width slot 28 beyond the turning station it adjusts the pallet toits 99 position. This action brings the pallet to the position 69indicated in Fig. 13 with the arms 69 and 6l extending laterally from`the line of travel of the conveyor.

A depresser bar 'lll (see Fig. 13) is xedly mounted at one side of theconveyor and has an upturned leading end portion 'H which acts .as a camto depress the laterally projecting latch release arms 6D and 6l as theypass beneath the depresser bar. This action raises the latch mem- `7,5

bers 49 from engagement with the conveyor chain as each succeedingpallet is moved into position beneath the depresser bar 10. Each pallet,as it is moved to bring its arms B or El beneath the depresser bar, thuswill force all of the pallets whose levers are beneath the depresser barahead until the arms 60 and 6| of this last driven pallet inA turn aredepressed by the depresser bar 10. Thus, as each new pallet pushes thegroup ahead, it will cause the release of the arms B0 and 6I of the lastpallet in the group from beneath the depresser bar. When this occurs,the latch member of the last pallet will move down into chain engagingposition and will be engaged by the next adjacent pawl on the drivechain.

Since the rate of advance of the pallets in this juxtaposed group isconsiderably less than that of the drive chain, the pallets again willassume their, normal intervals of separation when released from thisgroup, and are picked up, one by one, by the drive chain pawls. Thisaction, namely, the restoration of normal intervals when released,permits curving the conveyor as at 21a (Fig. 13) beyond the depresserbar. If desired, the pallets again could be compacted in the same manneras described above as soon as they had rounded the turn in the conveyorby providing a similar depresser bar at a desired location. Such actionmight be desirable, if it were necessary to extend the processing time,by installing the conveyor in a U-shaped or serpentine pattern throughthe processing area.

When it is desired again to turn the pallets to their normal positionrelatively to the conveyor. they can be rotated through an angle of inthe opposite direction by an actuating pin 12" positioned on theopposite side of the slot 28 in the chain enclosure from the firstactuating pin 12. This will return the pallets to their normal positionwith their releasing arms 60, KEI again in the desired forwardlyextending position. It will, of course be necessary to widen the slot 28and provide castored support rollers or other suitable means at allpoints where such. turning of the pallets is accomplished.

The arms 60 and 6I of the latch release lever preferably are mountedjust inwardly of the pallet side plates 41. A plurality of stop pins 13are provided at predetermined stages along the route of the conveyor andon either side thereof, as desired, so that the pallets may be stoppedautomatically at these stations by moving the stop pins out into thepaths of the arms 60 and 6l.

The stop pins are mounted slidably in brackets 14 Vsecured to the sideof the conveyor. In their normal positions the stop pins 13 are movedoutwardly away from the center line of the conveyor so as to clear thepallets as they pass by. The stop pins may be moved manually to theiroperated position, as shown in Fig. 3, when desired. Coil springs 15 maybe mounted normally to hold the stop pins at a desired limit ofmovement.

A foot pedal 'Il may be connected to operate the stop pin, by means of aiiexible cable 'I8 running over a pulley 'I9 pivoted on the bracket 14.The cable is connected at its upper end to an arm 8U secured to the stoppin.

In order to permit holding the pallet free from driven engagement withthe conveyor drive chain at any desired point on the conveyor, a slidingcam 8| (see Figs. 7 and 8) may be mounted beneath the top plate of eachpallet. The cam 8l is slidably mounted in undercut guides 82 and 83secured to the lower or inner side of the pallet :top plate 1.44. -A.handle Vportion f3.4y proj Bots outwardly through a slot in the :side:of .thepal- =1et,.and ghas .-a bent outer vend ,portion "byfmeans lofzwhich -.the cammemberfmay be operated. A .stoptlug185 extendsdownwardly rfrom the body .of the cam .member and fis :adapted toenga-ge theside wall offthe pallet when vthe cam is vat its gouterlimitgof movement. The cam member has va ,sloping cam face 7 on itslower iside. When the lcam member is .at its'outward limit V.ofmovement, jas shown in Eig. V8,;the latch release lever Bil is permittedto assume its -fnorma'l position. When :thecam member is moved.-slidably inwardly, however, the lever 6|] is depressed itO the dotted-line p osition ,shown rin Fig. 7 to release-the latch L39 from thedrive chain.

In certain instances, for example-when the conveyoris to be vused forsupporting articles oiturniture for-.assembly and'subsequent painting,-it is ,desirableto have -the work support or pallet 'free for turningmovement by an operator .during the portionof conveyor travel where suchoperations are `to ,be performed. `For example, -during the spraying ofa piece of furniture mounted on the pallet, an operator usually isstationed on aplatform ,mounted at the heightof the pallet and at oneside of the conveyor. It is desirable to `permit the operator to turnthe pallet and vthe item of furniture supported A thereon by .turning`the lpallet `with `his feet. vfacilitate vthis :turning of the palletthe space between the ,bottom `of the pallet and the top of the conveyor.chain `housing El may be increased somewhat, as shown in Fig. `lll. A

rounded portion i361 ofthe latch may beexposed between a squared lowerend portion 5.3i .of the latch-anda star shaped camrwhich may be 'the-sameasthat illustrated and described previously herein. A pair ofsecondary guide strips |32 and |33 are mountedcn the upper surfaces ofthe side portions of lthe chain enclosure 2l", and are space-fl Y aparta distance to provide a working clearance `between them to receive andguide the .rounded portion |39 of the latch exposed below the star cam63. rlhis rounded vsurface holds the latch member and its associatedpallet centered inthe `guideway throughout the portion of .theconveyorwhere the guiding edges of the slot .2t are separated to free the squarelower end portion of the latch for turning. The inner edges of thesecondary guide strip-s |32 and 33 thus provide bearing surface for therounded portion ift-3 of the latch .member which .will permit .thepallet to be turned freely vby an operator, as above described.

It is not necessary for the .operator .to turn the pallet t an exactposition on the conveyor after completing the operation requiring suchturning, since, if the pallet is in other than properly squaredposition, the star cam will be turned to the desired position by the pinl2 positioned at the end of the widened portion of the main guide slotin time to guide the squared lower end of the latch into lthe narrowensuing portion of the slot 28.

The invention also may be applied to an overhead conveyor, as shownin-Figs. l0, 11 and 12. ,En this `modiiication'a chain support rmay beinthe form of a housing `I'lil having a slotted opening lill throughoutthe length of its lower side. The chain support lll@ may be secured toan overhead I beam H32 which in turn may be supported from an overheadsupporting structure in a usual manner.

Adri-ve chain |03, which `may be similar to the `.dr-ive chainillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, is

In order lto mounted in the housing 10Q, the drive pawls |04 in thiscase -being directed downwardly instead of upwardly, as in 1Elige. l and2. A work support H35 has a pair of bifurcated suspension arms |01 andhlt extending up along the sides of the housing Hifi, and each of saidarms has a supporting Yroller ld@ and il pivotally mounted on theupperend thereof. The'rollers ride on the-top Surfaces of thebottom flangesofthe I beam.

A spring pressed latch member Hl is mounted slidably in a bracket H2secured to the .worksupport, and a cam lever |13, which is ,pivotallymounted as at Ile on the work support,'is .connected as by means of alink H5 tothe latch. Stop pins Il may be provided at desiredlocationsalong the conveyor. Each 'stop pin is slidably mounted in a bracket I i8which :is `boltedt'o the web of the IV beam.

By slidably moving a stop pin Il inwardly to engage the cam shapedforward end of the lever H3, the latch will be drawn downwardly :toclear the pawl IEM and thereby free the worksupport from drivenengagement with .the drive chain. A lanyard Iziimay be secured to thecam lever H3 so that an operator may free the-.work support from drivenengagement with the chain at any desired point along the vconveyormerely by drawing down on the lanyardto free the'latch from the pawl.

A forwardly extending arm H9 of suitable length is mounted on each ofthe rbrackets SH2, the forward end of each such arm being curvedupwardly so as to engage-and depress the cam lever i 53 of the unitaheadof it when such :unit ahead is stopped.

While I have illustrated and described .a -pre- .fer-red embodiment ofmy invention, and some modiiications thereof, it willbe understood `bythose familiar with the art `that the invention is capable of othermodifications and it is desired, therefore, not to limit the inventionexcept as dened in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A work supporting conveyor comprising a roller mounted conveyortrack, a propelling Aelement having a drive member mounted forlengthwise movement relatively thereto, a work support adapted to bemounted for rolling supported movement on said track, releasable latch'means mounted on said work support for drive engagement between saidwork support and saiddrive member, in the direction of movement of saiddrive member, and cam means on said drive member to free said latch forpassing said drivemember when the work support is advanced along saidtrack in the direction of movement of said drive lmember and at a speedin excess of the speed of said drive member.

2. A work supporting conveyor comprising a conveyor track, a propellingchain mounted for lengthwise movement relatively thereto in onedirection along said track, a plurality of cam pawls mounted at spacedintervals on said chain to move therewith, a plurality of work Supportsadapted to be mounted for movement on said track, spring pressed latchmeans mounted on each work support and having a lower end portionpositioned for driven engagement by said cam pawls, and latch operatingmeans mounted .to operate said latch to free it from. such drivenengagement, said latch being cammed into position by said cam pawls topass said cam pawlson moving said work support along said track in thedirection of chain movement and at a speed in excess thereof.

3. A work supporting conveyor comprising an elongated supporting frame,a driven propelling element having spaced drive members movablelengthwise of said conveyor frame, worlr supports adapted to beconnected for driving to said drive members at the speed of saidpropelling element throughout a portion of the length or" said conveyor, said work supports being adapted for turning about a verticalaxis relatively to said frame at predetermined points along said frame,turning means positioned adjacent a turning point to turn said worksupports relatively to said frame, release means for disconnecting saidwork supports from said drive members mounted on an end of each wor?.support and adapted to extend laterally therefrom when so turned, andmeans mounted on said frame to engage said release means during apredetermined portion or the travel of said Work supports along saidframe when so turned `to release said Work supports from said drivemembers.

4. A Work supporting conveyor comprising a supporting frame providing anelongated guide slot, an elongated driven propelling element mounted formovement lengthwise of said slot and adjacent thereto, said propellingelement having drive members spaced therealong, a work support memberadapted for movement relative to said frame, said work support memberhaving a releasable latch including a pin projecting through said slotfor connecting the Work supn port member to a drive member, andinterengaging means on said latch member and said frame in the region ofthe slot for maintaining the Work support member oriented in a givendirection with reference to said slot, the portion of said interengagingmeans on said frame ex:- tending for less than the length of said slot,leaving a given length of said frame along said slot Without saidinterengaging means, whereby to permit said Work support to be turnedrelative to said slot about the axis of the pin of said latch in saidgiven length of said slot.

5. A Work supporting conveyor comprising a supporting frame providing anelongated guide slot, an elongated driven propelling element mounted formovement lengthwise of said slot and adjacent thereto, said propellingelement having drive members spaced therealong, a Work support memberadapted for movement relative -to said frame, said Work support memberhaving a releasable latch including a pin projecting through said slotfor connecting the Work support member to a drive member, interengagingmeans on said latch member and said frame in the region of the slot formaintaining the Work support member oriented in a given direction withreference to said slot, the portion of said interengaging means on saidframe extending for less than the length of said slot, leaving a givenlength of said frame along said slot Without said interengaging means,whereby to permit said work support to be turned relative to said slotabout the axis of the pin of said latch in said given length of saidslot, and a Work support turning member on said frame in the region ofsaid given length of said slot and in the path of a work support forturning said work support as the same passes the turning member.

6. A Work supporting conveyor comprising a supporting frame providing anelongated guide slot, an elongated driven propelling element mounted formovement lengthwise of said slot and adjacent thereto, said propellingelement having drive members spaced therealong, a work support memberadapted for movement relative to said frame, said work support memberhaving a releasable latch including a pin projecting through said slotfor connecting the work support member to a drive member, interengagingmeans on said latch member and said frame in the region oi the slot formaintaining the Work support member oriented in a given direction Withreference to said slot, the portion of said interengaging means on saidframe extending for less than the length of said slot, leaving a givenlength of said frame along said slot without said interengaging means,whereby to permit said work support to be turned relative to said slotabout the axis of the pin of said latch in said given length of saidslot, and a Work support turning member on said frame in the region ofsaid given length of said slot and in the path of a Work support forturning said Work support as the same passes the turning member andmeans on said frame in the region of said given length of said slot forreleasing said latch from a drive member When the Work support isturned.

7. A work support adapted to be conveyed along a conveyor meansincluding a conveyor frame providing a slot and an elongated propellingmember movable along the frame on the side of the slot opposite that onwhich the Work support is positioned, said support comprising apalletlike body, a latch means depending from said body and including aspring biased pin mounted for axial movement and normally urged down-Wardly and adapted to extend through the slot in the conveyor frame forengagement with said propelling member, a latch means release leverpivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said body and having itsouter end extending beyond said body, the inner end of said lever beingoperatively connected to said pin whereby pivotal novernent of saidlever serves to raise said pin o release the same from said propellingmember.

8. A work support as dened in claim 7 in which said pin is flat sided inthe region Where it extends through said slot and in which said pin ismounted on the body to prevent relative rotation of the pin and body.

MAURICE N. RAINIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille ofthis patent:

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